Feed mill



Sept. 26, 1933. R STRESAU 1,928,141

FEED MILL Filed March 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 26, 1933. n 4'STRESAU 1,928,141 MILL Filed March`-2j 19x29 4 .sheets-sheet 2 ando, rw

'SePt- 26, 1933- R. sTREsAU 1,928,141

FEED MILL Filed March 2, 1929 4 Sheets-'Sheet 3 SePt- 26, 1933- R. sTREsAu 1,928,141

. FEED MILL Filed March 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W All Lil'w Patented Sept. 26, 1933 FEED MILL Richard Stresau, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Swfton Manufacturing Company, WestAllis, Y

i Wis., aV corporation of Wisconsin p Application' March 2, 1929. serial No. 344,018

3 Claims.

the above difficulties one object of the present l()A invention is to provide a unitary housing from which the cutter shaft is removable from ,one side of the machine, permitting ready removalof the' cutter or beater from the housing. l

In machines of the character above described, when cutting fodder, overfeeding clogs the cutter and reduces its speed below the proper cutting speed and-to prevent clogging and to permit the cutter to operate at its best cutting speed another object of this invention is to provide means governed by the speed of the cutterfor stopping the driveof the feed mechanism when said cutter .tends to reduce its speed.

A further object `of this invention is to provide a cutterV or beater oonstructionthat'is simple in construction and readily assembled on therdrive shaft.

Y A further object of the invention is to provide a machinein which the abrading screen extends 1 more than halfway around the beater or cutter increased over former constructions.

Further objectsof the invention are to improve generally onmachines `of this type by the manner of constructing the casing onhousing, the

7:35, tensioning means for the feed belt andthe arwhich the shafts for the feed reducing members are mounted in bearing journals 'on these side plates, one of these :bearing journals for each shaft being detachablyrsecured to its .supporting 45 side plate and removable with the'shaft j ournalled in it on an endwise movement of said shaft from *cutter or beater Shaft.;

the casing. Each of the feed reducing members has a releasable drivey connection with its shaft Y 5"" thecasing while the other feed reducing `member n form a unit that may bev readily removed from its so that the capacityY of the machine is greatly Fig. 6 is a detail view of the cutter (Cl. 14S-'19) instancedvhere as provided-with beater blades is mounted in .the `casing below the delivery en d of the conveyor and cooperates with a screen in the vusual manner to reduce the feed material. Bothl of these feed reducing membersY are connected together through shafts and gearing and power is applied toone of them whereby they are both continuouslydriven through the `reducing member mounted inthe upper part of the casing maybe disconnected from its drive through a 65j: releasable coupling connection` between certain of the power transmission shafts. The conveyor is driven from the same source oflpower but according to the present invention the conveyor drive is adapted tozbe connected to the main driving mechanism through a governor operated clutch which connectstheconveyor drive to one of the continuously driven shafts of the machine when said shaftis rotating at or above a prede-I termined speed and whichdisconnects the con-r 75.- `veyor drive from saidl shaft when said shaft-is rotating below a predetermined speed. Also each of the feed `reducing members includesuanovel association of elements assembled together to 80.A drive shaft, each of these units embodying a sleeve upon which the feed reducing blades and spacers mounted between the blades areV mounted, these spacers having keyed connection with said sleeve and with a keyway inthe drive shaft and one of these spacers having a key projection adapted to be moved into a key slot in the shaft extending at right angles to the main key way in said'shaft so as to lock the unit against longitudinal move-v ment relative toV said shaft. i -1 A'Iheinvention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more ,particu- `larly'defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of' 95 a machine embodying the invention;

. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through said machine;

, Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the yline 3 3 of Fig. 2;-`Y n 100 Fig. V4 lis a detail sectional"view`th oughthe Fig; 5 isa detail sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 41,A parts being broken away;U

` n or beater 105 drive shaft, parts being broken away;

n Fig. '7 is a detail verticalsectional view on the line 7--7 ofzFig. 3;f l Fig., 8 is al detail sectional view taken on the une'V 8-8 Aof Fig. 7;'

taken Fig. 9 is a detail side elevation view of the governor assembly;

line 13-12 o1' Fig. 3; Y

Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view takenA on thev line 13-13 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the shaft coupling; e Y

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the fan locking collar;

Fig. 16 is a horizontal sectionalv view taken on the line 16-16 'of Fig. 1;

Fig. 17 Visa detail sectional view taken on the line 17-17 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings the casing 20 is formed as a unitarystructure having side plates 21, upper cover plate 22, front plate 23 and lower rear plate 24, the plates 22, 23 and 24- preferably being welded to the side-plates 21 andthe plates 23 and 24 being welded to a channel frame member 25 which,y with the lower ends of the side plates 2l, is welded to metal skids or runners 26 having tubular tie bars 27 welded thereto. This casing'is provided with a front opening 28 and a rear opening 29. The opening 29 is normally covered 'by a removable door 30 which is formed if' plates 31, angles 32 and tubes 33. The'lower end of said cover fits in a recess 34 provided in a bar welded or otherwise suitably secured to the upper end of the plate 24, while and an idler roller. 42. sections, as hereinafter described, and is driven the upper end 36 of the cover rests against the lower end of the cover plate 22. The coverfits snugly between the side plates 21 and is secured in closed positionvbybolts 37 slidably mounted in the tubes 33 and engageable' with openings 38 in ears or lugs 39weldedgtol the sidev plates. `The term unitary casing is used to distinguish Vthis constructionfrom the usual split casings and is not to be limited to a casing whose parts are'secured together by welding.

For feeding the material into the machine an endless conveyor 40' ish provided, preferably in the form of a belt of heavy' canvas or other suitable material'running over a driven rollerA 41 The roller 4l is formed in from a'shaft 47 mounted in a gear case 45 and associated with a worm-wheel'46 meshing with a worm-47, see Figs. 2, 3, 7 and 17.

As shown in Fig. 16, the roller42 ismade up of a main part 48 and end parts 49 which are xed to the shaft and as shown in Fig. 3 the roller 41 made` up* of main part 48 and end parts 49 which are flxed to a shaft l43. In each instancek between these parts ofV the rollers the Jrshaft 50 or 43 is'mountedin ball-bearing journals 51 or 51l vwhose outer races are connected to bracket arms 52 or 52 extending through the space between sections of the roller assembly s and welded. or otherwise suitably secured to a shaft or v,barr 53` or53.

Vthrough the conveyor frameV bars 55v and is de- This par- Thevbari` 53 extends plates 57 and the removal ofthe nuts on these bars permits theA Whole conveyor assembly being removed as a unit from the main frame of the machine. transversely disposed channel bars 58. A lug 59 is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the supporting frame and similar lugs 60 are secured to extensions of the shaft 53 which are also slidably mounted in slots 61 in said frame. Bolts 62 in threaded engagement with the lugs 59 adjustably engage the lugs 60 to move the outer tion by locknuts 63.

For driving the conveyor the worm-Wheel 46 is, as shown in Fig. 17, keyed to sleeve 40 journalled in bearings 41in the case 45 and has a Anut 43 secured thereto to which a sleeve 44 having a nut socket 46 is firmly secured. A shaft 47 extends loosely through said sleeve and a nutshaped end57 fitting in said socket 46 whereby it is driven by said sleeve and has a squared end 58 engaging in a square hole 59 formed in the hub of one roller part 49. A cap 60 is removably secured over the end of the shaft 47.

The material to be treated is placed upon the conveyor and carried thereby into the machine and where grain is being treated a gauge member 64', as shown yin Fig. 2, is used to regulate the feed, said member being in the form of a curved plate hinged at 65 to the main casing and pro- Avided with slotted sideears 66 through which bolts 66' pass for adjustably clamping said member to tlierplates 57.

The bars 55 are further reinforced by A .roller 42 to a position to properly tension the vconveyor belt and are secured in adjusted posi- Where fodder is to betreated it is, on passing into the machine, subjected to the action of a cutter 64 which may be of any suitable construction and includes knives 65 mounted on a tubular shaft 67 which is mounted on a shaft 68 journ alled in bearings 68' and having one end extending outside of the housing into the gear case 45 Where it is operatively connected'by a worm- Wheel 67 with a Worm-gear 69 secured to a shaft 69. The manner of attaching the cutters 65, to the shaft is preferably the same as thatl hereinafter described and shown in detail in connection with the cutter or beater 79 that cooperateswith the screen 7l.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive, the cutter or beater 70 is formed of a plurality of beater, hammer or cutter members 72 that are frictionally held to a hollow shaft or sleeve 73 in spaced relation t'o each other by a plurality of washers 74.

The sleeve shaft 73 has a longitudinally extending slot or keyway 75 therein and each washer has a key projection 76 that extends through said slot and into a keyway 77 on the driven shaft 78. The washers 74 and members 72 are held against longitudinal movement relative to the sleeve 73Vby end collars 79 which may be detachably secured thereto in any suitable manner, but which are preferably fixed to said sleeve by welding.

The shaft 78 has a front end portion 80 slidably mounted in a sleeve 8l which in turn is secured to the inner race of a ball bearing journal 82 whose outer race is mounted and held within a bearing block 83 secured to one of the 21 so as tobe removablewith said shaft :and the bearings 85 by means of studs 90, here shownin 13 asin-the form of machine screws mounted in'openingsinsaid platef and whose heads are secured thereto by welding metal 91.

In order to` prevent longitudinal movement of the cutter assembly relative to its drive shaft 78 said shaft is provided with a key slot 92 extending atright angles from the keyway 77 in the 'direction of rotation of said shaft so that the key projection'76 of one of the friction washers 74 may move or be moved into said slot 92, thereby locking -thesleeve 73 against longitudinal movement relative to said shaft asfshdw'n in Fig. 6.

v"The suction fan 93 has a tubular hub portion 94 that fitsl over the sleeve 81 and is clampedvto said sleeve and the shaft 78 bynthe collar A95, shown in Fig. 15, which has adiametrically disposed key 96 that engages inV slots in the threaded end 97 of the shaft, the sleeve 81 and thephub 94 of the fan and is secured in keyed position relative thereto by a nut 98. A

The bearing support 87 provides a housing for the gear 86 and a gear 99 in mesh therewith and mounted on a shaft 100 suitably journalled in bearings 101 and having an extension connected by a coupling 116 with the shaft 69 as hereinafter described and asshown in-Figs. 12 and V13. The

extended end 84 of the shaft 78 carries a drive pulley 103 adapted to be connected by a belt 104 to an electric motor 105 or any other suitable source -of power as shown in Fig. y1. Y

With the cutter assembly and drive above described itV will be noted that taking off the nut 98 and collar 95 and the nuts for the studs 90 and shifting the key of onev of the washers outl of register with the key slot 92 and into line with the other keys permits the shaft 78 to be removed longitudinally from the sleeve 81 and out of the machine, with the bearing support 87, whereby the cutter or beater assembly may then be taken out of the machine through the opening 29, rails 106 being secured tothe sides of the housing and upon which the tubular end portions of'the cutter assembly ride during its removal from the machine. Thus the objections and difficulties frequently encountered with the usual split form of casing have'been eliminated.

The screen 71 is made in two substantially equal sections 71 which are mounted at each end between curvedsupports 107 secured to the side plates 21 and from which said sections are slidably removable, the inner section abutting against stops 108 and the outer edge 109 of the outer section being engageable with the door 30 whereby said screens are held against movement. Owing to the absence of a split housing the screen extends considerably more than half way around the circumferential path of movement of the beater so that a considerable increase in the capacity of the machine is obtained. j

In Fig. 2 a scraper blade 110 of yieldable material is shown secured tothe upper edge of the plate 23 and bearing upon the conveyor 40,"so

as to prevent material being carried outside of the machine.

Defiector plates 111 are also provided to form, withthe end plates and bottom of the housing, a hopper 112 which is connected by a conduit 113 with the fan casing 114 which is provided with a removable cover section 115 in order to provide access to the nut 98 and washer 95. The fan casing 114 connects with a-discharge conduit 114' so that material discharged through the screen 71 into the hopper 112 is carried by said fanthrough conduit 113 to the conduit 114' and vfrom thence to a suitable placeof discharge. i The shaftI 69 is drivenfrom the shaftlOO by a direct connection therewith through a coupling 116 provided with a longitudinally extending key 117 engageable with the keyway 118 in the shaft 100 and a similar keyway 119 in the shaft 69 land held in operative position by a set-screw 120, it being noted that loosening the screw 120 and slipping the coupling 116 downout of .keyed engagementwiththe shaft 69 permits the removal of the bearing support 87 and shaft 78,as previously described'. f Power being applied through pulley 103 to the shaft 78 this shaft is continuouslyrotated and will through gears 86 and 99 continuously rotate shaft 100 and hence shaft 69.

.Referring to Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, the shaft Y,

reach the desired working speed by meansk of a governor-operated clutch. V

This clutch includes a tubular member 122 having a collar portion 122 provided with diametrically disposed keys 123 engaging in key slots 124 in the gear 47 and-a tubular portion provided with slots 125 and forming yieldable clutch sections 136. This member 122 and the worm 47 are mounted on the shaft 69 between journals 127.

An inertia governor or speed-responsive device includes a spider whose hub 128 is secured to the shaft 69 by a pin 129 and whose diametrically disposed spaced arms 130 have the governor Weight arms 131 mounted therebetween on a pin 132. Tensioning springs 133 for the arms 131 are mounted on a rod 134 pinned to the shaft 69 and interposed between said arms and an adjusting nut 135. At their lower ends the arms 131 have faces 136 which, as said arms swing out under the action of centrifugal force, are adapted to engage -and press inwardly on the yieldable sections 126 of the clutch'member 122 and thus cause it to be clamped to the shaft 69 and thence, through the key connection 123, 124, drive the worm 47 which in turn drives the conveyor, as previously described. Thus, if the machine becomes cloggedrand the cutter shaft 69 drops below a certain predetermined, efficient cutting speed the governorarms 131 move free of the clutch member 122 and thus release it from driven engagement with the shaft 69 and thus stops the is the same as other machines of this general type, it being noted that the cutter 64 is particularly employed when cutting hay or other like material for fodder. It is also to be noted that the beater members 72 are angularly disposed relative to each other and while frictionally held to the drive shaft, through the pressure of the washers 74, may move angularly relative thereto if they strike a stone or other hard object that Vmay have become mixed with the material being treated. These members 72 -cooperatewith the screens 71 in a well known manner, causing the Lthis invention `is not to be limited 'to any particular form or arrangement of parts except insofar as such limitations are specified in the claims.

' What I claim as my invention is:

l.. The combination with a drive shaft having a keyway therein, of a feed reducer assembly comprising a tubular shaft fitting over' said drive shaft and having a longitudinally extending slot,

blades mounted on said tubular shaft, spacing means` interposed between said blades and provided With projections extending through said slot andfinto the keyway in' said shaft.A v

- 2. The combination with a drive shaft having a keyway therein, of a feed reducer assembly comprising a tubular shaft tting over said drive shaft and having a longitudinally extending slot, blades mounted on said tubular shaft, spacing means interposed between said blades and provided with projections extending through said slot and into the keyway in said shaft, said drive shaft having va transverse key-slot thereinl engageable with a key of one of the spacing means to hold said assembly against longitudinal movement relative to said shaft.

3. In a feed mill, the combination with a housing, ofr feed reducing units removably mounted therein, drive shafts for said units, a transmission mechanism including shafts and gearing whereby the drive of one shaft is transmitted tothe other, and a releasable coupling between shafts of said transmission mechanism whereby either unit may be removed independent of the other.

l RICHARD STRESAU. 

